


I Will Go Down With This Ship

by YourShadow



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, Titanic (1997)
Genre: Happy Ending, M/M, Titanic AU, eruri - Freeform, logical changes because fuck you that's why, my Jack lives and you can't stop me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-30
Updated: 2014-07-30
Packaged: 2018-02-11 00:42:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2046504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YourShadow/pseuds/YourShadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erwin was about to throw it all away when a stranger convinced him back over the rails.</p><p>Levi thought winning that ticket was the best day of his life--until he met Erwin.</p><p>That Titanic AU I've been teasing you guys about on tumblr: Eruri version.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Will Go Down With This Ship

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: James Cameron is the mastermind behind Titanic, and Isayama is the god who created Attack on Titan.
> 
> Warning: I’m making a shit ton of changes because this is Eruri~
> 
> I first want to say that I hate romance, especially romance movies or romance novels. I am not a romantic person. But this damn movie hits me right in the feels every time, and because of that epilogue I decided to do for Mein Teil, I can’t stop myself from writing more. However, this will only be a one-shot because I do not have the emotional capacity to make this a chaptered fic. Nor the time or patience. So you’re welcome.
> 
> Also, thanks to what_would_freckled_jesus_do who found this lovely drawing of Levi drawing Erwin like one of those French girls: http://titaniumshadow.tumblr.com/post/95698770317/screaming-this-is-glorious-yaaaas-thank-you

Erwin found himself staring across the black ocean from the stern of the ship. His arms rested against the railing, the air cold even with his jacket on. He wondered what the water would feel like, wondered how long it would take. His foot rested against the bottom railing and he climbed over, slowly, to stand on the other side, facing the water. After three deep breaths, he would plunge himself headlong, leaving his fiancé and his family’s expectations behind him.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Erwin turned, looking back to see a short man, obviously lower class from the clothes he wore, staring at him.

“It’s none of your business.” Erwin hissed, turning back. “Leave me alone.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” The man replied, walking up to him slowly, casually.

“Why?”

“You’re too handsome to watch drown. Besides, you’d probably get shredded by the propellers, sucked in and squished out like a meat grinder. Yuck.” The man rested his elbows on the railing beside him. Erwin stared at him, shocked and mesmerized. The man turned, steel eyes more piercing than the cold.

“My life shouldn’t matter to someone like you.”

“Someone like me? You don’t even know me.”

“What’s your name then?”

“Levi.”

“I’m Erwin.”

“Good, now we know each other.”

Erwin sighed, relaxing his hold. His hand began to slip. As he slid down, another hand shot out to clutch his, muscles straining to hold him up. Levi braced his foot against the railing and heaved as Erwin pulled himself up and over the rails. They collapsed on the ground beside each other, gasping.

“There you are! Erwin, I was so worried!” a woman’s voice called, running up to them. A tall man with a fierce look was with her, eyeing Levi suspiciously as they rose to face them.

“Was this vagabond trying to steal from you, sir?” the man asked.

“No…no, he saved me. I was looking over the railing and slipped. He caught me in time.” Erwin explained, still breathless. A warm coat was wrapped around him.

“Is that so?” the man muttered, still glaring. Levi glared back. The woman by Erwin’s side looked frightened and wary. At Erwin’s nod, the man approached Levi and took out some cash. “Then we would like to show our appreciation.”

Levi looked offended at the money as it was stuffed in his pocket. “I didn’t do it for a reward.” He spat.

“That’s all you’ll get, now run along.”

“Mike, don’t be rude. Let’s thank him _properly_ , while we still have a sense of decency, please.” Erwin told him.

The man sniffed the air, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. “He smells like a sewer rat.”

“I’m sure once he’s cleaned up and put in some nicer clothes he’ll smell just fine. I want him to dine with us tomorrow.” Erwin replied.

“Dear, are you sure? We don’t know him at all.” The woman whispered.

Erwin glanced at his savior and their eyes met. “His name is Levi.”

***

Erwin watched the staircase, staring at the clock as he waited. He was looking forward to seeing his new friend, someone who didn’t put pressure on him to produce heirs and create a legacy. His family didn’t think the man would show up. Erwin could only hope he would.

His eyes widened, blinking. He almost didn’t recognize the man standing there in front of the clock in a well-made suit and slicked back hair. Smiling, he stood to greet his guest.

“You look sharp, a lot better than I thought you would.” Erwin murmured in greeting.

Levi turned, a hint of surprise on his face. “Thanks. I think.” He muttered.

Erwin gestured to their table. “Come join us, please. I would be honored.”

Levi ducked his head and followed, sitting near Erwin at the table. He was surrounded by the kind of high-class society he always hated; picked on and bullied, kicked to the streets, penniless and unloved. But Erwin felt warm beside him, and his voice was richer than any wealth in the world.

“I’m so very thankful to you for saving my fiancé.” The woman told him, still with that half-fearful expression.

“I…only did what was right.” Levi replied. He wondered if Erwin told them he was trying to jump. He wondered why anyone in his position would want to jump.

“This is Petra, my wife-to-be. We wanted to start a new life in America.” Erwin told him. He noticed a swift change of expression on Levi’s face, quickly hidden by a stoic demeanor.

He took her hand, murmured “Enchanté,” and kissed it. She blushed.

“Have you ever dined on anything this fine, sewer rat?” Mike asked, gesturing to the feast before him.

“It’s Levi. And no, not really. Then again, my appetite doesn’t allow for much opulence.”

Erwin smiled at the sarcasm dripping from Levi’s voice. He knew Mike could hear it too by the scowl on his face. Levi smiled.

***

When the meal was winding down, Levi leaned over to whisper in Erwin’s ear, “I know a better place than this. A real party.”

Erwin was intrigued. He was doing so many things he was never used to, experiencing an entirely new side of life just being near Levi. He grinned, nodding, and took Levi’s hand.

He was led below decks, where the music was loud and the men louder. The room smelled of beer and sweat and cigarettes, not the same as the cigars he was used to, or the fine champagne. It was exhilarating, watching the people dance and fight and kiss with such passion he never saw before.

Levi led him onto the stage, where a few couples were stomping around. He clicked his heels, kicking and twirling. Erwin mimicked him. Levi tipped his chin in the musician’s direction, and a new tune began to play. He tugged Erwin close, placing one hand on his waist and entwining their fingers in the other.

It wasn’t a waltz. It wasn’t a jig. It was fire.

They did the tango across the stage, bodies molded together, moving in sync. Levi was short, but he knew how to use that to his advantage in a dance. He let Erwin lead, let himself be tipped back at the end, foot in the air, neck exposed. He let Erwin kiss his neck, his jaw, and then his lips. The crowd hooted.

They didn’t notice Mike peeking down at them, scowling and sniffing the air.

***

Erwin was contemplating throwing himself over again when he was grabbed by the arm. Turning to attack, he noticed Levi in an oversized jacket, grinning up at him. He smiled, laughing, and they walked to the bow of the ship arm in arm. It was several days since their night below-decks, and Erwin could already feel the crippling doubt and depression creeping back in. But when Levi smiled at him like that, the fog lifted from his mind.

“Do you trust me?” Levi asked, tugging him to the rails.

“Yes.” Erwin breathed, following.

“Then close your eyes.” Erwin did as he was told and felt himself being guided to the rails, taking a step up. He felt Levi behind him, standing on the bulwarks on either side. “No peaking.” He whispered, sliding his hands up Erwin’s arms and holding them out to the side, straightening them.

Erwin turned his head, smiling. “What are you doing?”

“Look.”

Erwin’s eyes opened to see the water and sky in front of him. He gasped, “It’s like I’m flying…like I have wings,” and laughed, feeling Levi’s fingertips on his skin.

Levi smiled behind him, moving his hands to Erwin’s waist. “If you let me, I’ll always be your wings.” He murmured.

Erwin leaned back into him lightly, feeling the wind on his face, warm from the setting sun. They stared at the sky: orange, red, purple, and pink, as the day faded into night.

***

Erwin took him back to his room, the most luxurious compartments the ship had to offer, and the most extravagant room Levi had ever been in. His eyes darted around, but kept returning to Erwin’s face.

The aristocrat shrugged off his jacket and undid the cufflinks of his sleeves. Levi watched, curious, as he tugged the shirt out of his pants and dragged it over his head, leaving his bolo tie to rest against his chest. When he undid the belt at his pants Levi looked away. He heard the clothes drop to the floor and a loud thump as Erwin draped himself over the couch.

“Draw me like one of your French girls.” The blond purred.

Levi’s eyes flashed and he got out his tools, laying them out on the desk in front of the couch. He directed Erwin into a good position, one arm above his head, one draped across his hip, knee up. Erwin smirked, although Levi could see the blush on his cheeks. It made him grin, looking over the drawing pad at him as he worked. His bangs occasionally got in the way of his eyes and he swished his head around.

“Such a serious face, Levi…”

“Shhh…”

Levi sketched with the charcoal, shading and adding depth, making Erwin come alive on the page. He put detail into the tie, the look in Erwin’s eyes staring back at him. He was a good model, barely moving, keeping eye contact.

Levi’s eyes scanned over every inch of his body, memorizing them onto the page. He knew he could never truly capture the essence of the man in front of him, but he would certainly try.

Time ceased for a moment, until suddenly the image was done. He blew the excess charcoal off the page after signing his name with the date, then handed it to Erwin who was getting dressed. “Monsieur…”

“Thank you very much.” Erwin whispered, leaning in for a kiss.

A knock on the door interrupted them.

***

They were running down the halls, laughing as they were hunted down by Mike through crew passageways, through the boiler room, and finally into a cargo hold.

“It’s like he’s a dog, able to follow our scent.” Levi gasped after shutting the door.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was!” Erwin exclaimed in a fit of laughter.

They straightened, walking further into the room. Levi’s eyes found a car and he grinned, pulling Erwin toward it.

“Your carriage, monsieur.” He said, opening the door and gesturing inside.

Erwin grinned, climbing in. He watched as Levi got into the driver’s seat.

“Where to, sir?” he asked.

Erwin wrapped his arms around him. “Anywhere,” he breathed. “As long as it’s with you.”

Levi grinned at him until he was pulled into the carriage and laid back against the seats. Erwin hovered over him, smiling, before going in for a kiss. Soon their hands were roaming, tugging off clothes and sliding over slick skin. The windows fogged up at the heat between them as Erwin ground down and Levi thrust up, panting and moaning.

Levi’s hand shot up to brace himself against the window, leaving his imprint amidst the moisture, outlining his fingertips and the way they slid back down across the pane.

Erwin ran his hands through Levi’s hair while fingers dug into his back, legs wrapped tightly around his waist. Levi flipped their positions, bracing his hands above Erwin’s head and rolling his hips.

“You’re trembling…” Erwin purred, bringing his hand to Levi’s cheek, who turned to kiss his palm.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” He panted, body still shaking.

***

They made their way back to the room, ready to tell everyone their news. The ship shuddered from the effects of the iceberg, and frightened mutters from the crew reached their ears. When they opened the door, the family was there, shocked and angry.

“There you are! We thought you were kidnapped and held for ransom!” Petra cried, throwing her arms around Erwin, breaking his grip in Levi’s hand.

“As I suspected.” Mike grumbled, stalking toward them.

“Look, something happened.” Erwin began.

“Thief!” Mike pointed at Levi. “Search him for the missing jewels.”

Levi was grabbed by guards and struggled. The borrowed coat was tugged off and hands dug greedily inside, searching for anything to frame him. “Wait, what’s going on? Erwin?”

“He took my necklace! It was missing when we got back, and so were you!” Petra cried in Erwin’s arms, keeping him from going to Levi’s side.

“I didn’t steal anything, this is ridiculous! Erwin, listen to me!” Levi snapped, still struggling.

“Is this it, sir?” the guard pulled a necklace out of the coat pocket. Petra gasped. Mike nodded. “And a stolen coat as well, I see.” The guard looked at the name recorded inside. “This was reported missing earlier. Come with us, thief.” They started pulling Levi away.

“What’s the meaning of this? Let him go! He didn’t take the necklace, we were together the whole time!” Erwin yelled.

“I’m sure you were!” Petra slapped him. At his shocked expression, she held up the drawing.

“You know I didn’t do it! Erwin! You know I would never steal from you, that’s not me! Erwin!” Levi called as he was dragged away down the hall. “I’m not a thief! I just borrowed the coat!”

Erwin couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, staring at the necklace and asking himself how it got into a stolen coat around Levi’s shoulders and why.

“ERWIN!”

***

Levi was handcuffed to a pipe as the ship was sinking. He knew he would die here, with Erwin believing him to be a traitor. Mike sat at a desk, loading and cocking the gun.

“You would have ruined everything, you know.” The man grumbled. Levi glared at him. “He is to marry Petra, produce children to give an inheritance to, and carry on the family line. He is the only son left.”

“You think you’re doing him a favor, protecting him, by choosing the life he lives?” Levi snarled.

Mike stood, coming toward him. “More than you know.” He growled before punching him in the gut. Levi groaned, knees buckling under him. “You’re going to die here, and he will move on.” Mike told him as he left.

Levi laid his head against the pipe, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to breathe. Mike was right. Water rushed into the room, icy as death. He pulled at the cuffs, attempting to slide his thin wrists through, wishing they hadn’t thrown out his lock-picking tools.

The water reached his feet, almost at his ankles. “Shit!” he yelled, jumping onto the desk.

“Levi?” he heard a voice call faintly down the hall.

“ERWIN!” He called back.

“LEVI!” He heard splashing as Erwin burst into the room. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! I was a fool to believe them. I’m so sorry!” he ran forward through the water, clutching Levi’s face and kissing him desperately. “I knew you were right, I knew they set you up!”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Look for a key, quickly.” Levi told him, banging the cuffs together.

Erwin ripped open drawers and dug through their contents. “It’s not here!” he shouted frantically.

“Just go get help or something!” Erwin nodded, giving him one last kiss before disappearing. Levi wasn’t sure if he would come back in time as the water level continued to rise.

Erwin ran through the halls, shouting, banging on doors, begging anyone he saw. But no one would listen, and they all refused to help. He looked around, panicking, until he saw their freedom incased in glass. Throwing a broken piece of furniture, he smashed the cover and yanked the ax out, running back as fast as he could through the water.

When he burst into the room, ax held high, expression wild, Levi’s mouth dropped open. “Woah! Easy there…” his eyes were frightened, locked onto the ax.

“I’m going to get you out of here.” Erwin told him. He came forward with the ax and looked Levi in the eye. “Do you trust me?”

Levi nodded after a moment and stretched the chain between the cuffs out against the pipe, leaning back and turning his head, eyes shut tightly. He heard a clang and his heart hammered behind his chest, but there was no pain. His body fell back and Erwin caught him. The chain was gone, and he was free.

***

They held hands as the water surged beneath them. Standing against the railing where they first met, they were prepared to meet their doom together.

“Take a deep breath and kick toward the surface, okay?” Levi told Erwin. The ship sank deeper, taking them with it. Levi held on for as long as he could, searching for the sky above the water, reaching. Their grip broke and he fell.

“Levi!” Erwin called as his head broke though the water, surrounded by hundreds of screaming people, all afraid of dying. He kept calling until he felt himself being pulled down. Struggling, kicking, he flailed, trying to keep afloat.

“Erwin!” Levi swam over to him and the weight was lifted. Their hands linked together again as Levi pulled him away from the mass of writhing bodies, screaming in terror. “Keep swimming, come on! You can do it, Erwin!” Levi urged him.

They found some furniture drifting atop the water and Levi pushed him up. “Get on!” Erwin struggled, climbing on top of what used to be an ornate door, the intricate designs clawed at by his fingers. When he was finally up, he reached for Levi.

“Come on, you too.” Levi grasped his hand, the door tipping as he was heaved up. He splashed back into the water. “Go around, balance the weight!” Levi did as he was told, swimming to the side of the door lifting out of the water and hoisting himself up. Erwin grabbed his arms, pulling. It was a tight fit, but they managed to lay across the door sideways. Levi, for once, was thankful for his small stature and light weight.

They saw fins gliding across the water, black as night. The screams were dying down around them, bodies no longer splashing, disappearing beneath the surface. They held on close.

“I love you.” Erwin whispered against Levi’s forehead, eyes drifting closed.

“We’re not dead yet. Just wait, the boats will return for us.” Levi replied, shaking and stuttering as he kept a firm grip on Erwin’s hand.

“I still love you.”

Levi looked into his eyes, finding warmth there. “I love you too.”

***

“When I won that ticket onto the ship, I never thought my life would be this way. I never thought I’d meet someone like you.” Levi turned to the man beside him, smiling.

Erwin smiled as well, rubbing a small circle against his back. “I was prepared to end it all that night, but you stopped me. You saved me.”

“Like I said, you were too attractive to see drown. Your lips would be all blue, face white, hair full of ice…” Levi mumbled.

“They were, at one point.” Erwin whispered into his ear, kissing his forehead. “You know, I still send a card to him for bringing the boat back.”

“He deserves more than that. We would be dead, frozen, inside the belly of a fish if it weren’t for all of them.”

“I don’t regret any of it. I would do it all again, just to meet you once more.” Erwin told him.

“Even Petra? You don’t regret losing her?” Levi asked.

“No. She’s happier now. So am I.”

Levi smiled, hugging him close. “Let’s do the tango tonight.”

***

They stood as old men, relics like the pieces in the museum. After the _Titanic_ was discovered, so too were its treasures. Among them was a drawing, famous for the scandalous pose and even more scandalous artist.

Levi and Erwin were holding hands, staring at the drawing on that fateful day, remembering the moment as if it never left them.

“We were young, once.” Erwin said.

“You looked so attractive in your youth. How could I not fall for you?” Levi replied.

Erwin laughed. “You had me at the tango.”

That night, as they lay in bed curled against each other, they saw the faces of those who were lost at sea.

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Note: Yes, I added sharks for a more realistic touch and I’ll be damned if those two couldn’t fit on a door together. I couldn’t let them die, I wanted them to be old men together. Plus, I have a headcanon that Levi is the King of Tango (and he’s totally French in this, in case anyone was wondering).


End file.
